Bottle-capping machine.



J. J. GAYNOR. BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 1a, 1913.

Patented May 5, 1914.

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J. J. GAYNOR.

BOTTLE GAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1913.

1,095,274. Patented May 5, 1914.

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c AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA CA JOHN J. GAYNOR, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, AssreNoR TO IMPERIAL STOPPER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BOTTLE-CAPPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 18, 1913.

Patented May 5, 1914s. serial No. 742,769.

To ZZ @from t may concern:

lle it known that I, JOHN J. GAYNOR, a citizen of the United Statesresiding at ndianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Bottle-Capping Machines; of which the following is a full; clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to bottle capping machines of that class in which either the bottle-rest or the capping-head has a uniform stroke in applying the cap to the bottle, and which requires some form of compensating device to allow bottles of varying length to be successfully capped.

The invention consists of an improved torni of such compensating device; the construction of which will be fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings;

lFigure 1 is a side elevation oi a portion ot' the bottle capping machine including the base and table, together with the said compensating mechanism; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, parts of the frame and table being broken away; Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; F ig. l is a section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a detail illustrating' relative positions of the parts during certain portions of the operation.

The drawings illustrate only the lower portion of a capping machine which comprises a table 1 upon and along which the bottles are ted to the bottle-rest 2. The bottle-rest is in the form of a cap secured to the upper end of a plunger 3 and has its upper surface normally substantially flush with the upper surface of the table. The upper surface of the rest is provided with a pad or cushion 4 upon which the bottle stands while undergoing the capping operation. The plunger 3 extends downward through a casting or housing 5 in which it has a central elongated bearing, permitting of slight reciprocation of the plunger in a vertical direction. This casting is cored out to provide internal chambers which communicate with the bearing of the plunger at various points, to receive grease or other lubricating material in which the mechanism operates. At the upper end du. i

of the casting 5 is a packing gland G preventing the escape of the lubricant, as well as prevent-ing the admission of liquid from the outside to the interior of the casting. The plunger 3 is exposed upon one side for a considerable portion of its length within the chamber of the casting and to this exposed side of the plunger is secured by bolts, shown in dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 1, a

rectangular hardened steel plate 7 having a flat outer surface which is provided near its lower end with a transverse groove or socket 7 of arc-shaped cross-section.v

8 indicates an angle lever pivoted at one extremity upon a pin 9 located in a plane below groove 7. The opposite or free end of this lever 8 is engaged by a spring 10 which presses thereagainst in a direction to swing the lever toward the plunger 3. The opposite end of the spring bears against a threaded plug 11 which works in an opening in the casting 5 and is provided exterior there to with a nut-like head 12 by which it can be screwed inward or outward to adjust the tension of the spring; when set at any particular adjustment it can be locked by means of the lock-nut 13. At the angle of the lever 8 it has mounted within it a hardened steel roller 14- whose radius is substantially the same as that of the groove 7. This roller normally projects into and occupies the said groove and is held therein by the force supplied by the spring 10.

The side face of the casting 5 is provided with a coveiplate 15 which may be removed to'aiford access to the mechanism inside of the casting. On the side of the casting opposite the cover-plate 15 is a rectangular vertical groove 16 in which is located and adapted to slide, a bar 17. The upper end of this bar, as seen in Fig. 2, is connected with the underside of the bottle-rest 2 by means of a coupling-plate 13 which is con- -nected to the loar by means of the screw 19 and to the bottle-rest by means of the screw 207 so that the bar partakes of the vertical movements of the bottle-rest. The lower end of the bar 17 projects below the casting 5 and is bent at right angles to iorm a footpiece 21.

22 is the crank-shaft of the machine which drives the capping-head (not shown). 23 is a part of a crank on this shaft, upon the edge or cheek of which is fixed a bracket 24 carrying a stud 25 upon which is mounted a roller 2G, the roller being directly under or in the same plane with the foot-piece 9.1.

The operation of the machine is as follows The bottle to be capped is placed upon the cushion t directly below the cappinghead; the cappinghead then makes its downward stroke and applies the cap to the bottle. The' bottle-rest 2 andthe plunger 3 resist the impact of the capping-head against the bottle with sufficient effect to enable the Vcap to be properly applied to the bottle, this resistance being afforded Aby the lever S whose roller 14: is held in the groove 7/ by the spring 10. lf, however', after the cap vhas been secured upon the bottle, the stroke of the capping-head is not yet finished but continues to press downward upon the bottle, the spring 10 will yield and allow the roller to be pushed laterally out of the groove 7 and permit the plunger 3 to move downward with the capping-head and thus `prevent the breaking of the bottle. lVhile the capping-head is retreating upward, the

-erank 23 on the shaft which operates the vcapping-head 1s also swung upward 1n theV direction of vthe arrow, and the roller 2G thereby strikesthe under surface of the foot- 'piece 21 and lifts .the latter, together with the bottle-rest, until the rest reaches its normal level with the surface of the table 2l, at which moment the groove 7 is again presented to the roller 111 which drops into it and furnishes the. sustaining power to the bottle-rest necessary to accomplish the capping of the next bottle.

Especial attention is directed to the resisting lever 8 and its relation to the spring. It will be seen that if the pivot 9 were in the same horizontal plane with the axis of they roller 14, the plunger would be positively locked against all downward movement; and, on the other hand, 1f the pivot S) were in the same vertical plane with the axis ofi the roller 14, an extremely powerful spring wouldv be necessary to afford the required resistance` of the plunger to the capping operation. Hence, by pivotingthe lever S in a plane with the roller 14, 'which is somewhere between the horizontal and vertical planes, it is possible to use a comparatively light sprin. The nearer the plane ofthe `lower arm of lever B approaches the'horizon'- tal plane passing through vthe axis of the roller, the weaker the spring maybe, and vice versa, consequently -a part of the thrust of the plunger is sustainedbythe pivot 9.

lent, and I believe I am the first to return this part after its compensating movement by positive actuation under the power which drives the machine itself. rlhis operation is of special advantage in a compensator Vbuilt on the principle of the one herein described, wherein the groove must be presented to the roller in order to sustain the plunger for the next operation, anda spring cannot be relied upon to fully accomplish this.

Having described my invention what I claim is 1. In a. bottle capping machine, the combination of a plunger movable during the stroke of the machine, said plunger provided with a socket in its side, a lever pivotally mounted at one extremity, a spring acting upon the free end of saidl lever and the lever engaging at an intermediate point with said socket.

2. In a bottle capping machine, the combination of a plunger movable during the stroke of the machine, said plunger provided with a socket in its side, an angle lever having its angle in engagement with said socket and being pivoted at one extremity and a spring engaging the free end of the lever.

3. ln a bottle capping machine, the combination of a plunger movable during the stroke of the machine, said plunger provided with a socket in its side, an angle lever engaging at its angle with said socket, the lever being pivoted at one extremity and spring pressed at its other extremity, the pivotal point of said lever being ohliquely arranged with respect to said socket.

4. In a-bottle capping machine, the eoinhination of a plunger movable during the stroke of the machine, said plunger 'carrying a plate-in Vits side provided with a transverse groove, a lever having a roller mounted substantially4 midway thereon, said roller normally resting in .said groove' said lever being pivoted at one' end and spring pressed at the' other. l

ln witness whereof, l subscribe niy signature,`in thepresence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. GAYNOR;

lVitnesses:

lVALDo M. CiiAriN,` IDA M. PATTERSON.

Cepiehfthis` patentmay be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. Q. 

